Ramesh Narayanan, PhD, MBA, has been named the deputy director of the Center for Cancer Research at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Dr. Narayanan is a professor in the Division of Hematology and Oncology in the Department of Medicine in the UTHSC College of Medicine, Muirhead Endowed Professor of Pathology, and the director of the Center for Cancer Drug Discovery. He has more than 23 years of academic and industry experience in drug discovery and development and hormonal signaling. The appointment was made by Neil D. Hayes, MD, MPH, director of the UTHSC Center for Cancer Research.
Dr. Narayanan will be involved in all aspects of the UTHSC Center for Cancer Research, including development of the leadership structure, scientific program development, philanthropy, educational programs, and scientific initiatives, Dr. Hayes said. In particular, he will have oversight on two basic science programs, cancer cell biology and chemical biology.
Dr. Narayanan will also be involved in the communication between the UTHSC Center for Cancer Research and its partners, including the colleges, the community, and advisory boards.
“This is a very important position in the UTHSC Center for Cancer Research,” Dr. Narayanan said. “Being a part of this growing center is a big honor for me.”
Dr. Narayanan was a postdoctoral fellow at Baylor College of Medicine before transitioning to industry. He served as the director of Drug Discovery for a public biotech firm until 2013, prior to joining UTHSC. Dr. Narayanan has published more than 60 peer-reviewed manuscripts and is a co-inventor in more than 100 patents. Molecules discovered and evaluated by Dr. Narayanan and his team have been licensed to industries and are in various stages of preclinical and clinical development.
Dr. Narayanan has received more than $7.5 million from federal and private sources. He is currently funded by the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the Department of Defense, and biotechnology companies. He also serves as a consultant to the biotech industry.